Harbour Island Info
Jan 25th, 2000, 05:23 PM
#2
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Ron- do a search for Harbour Island on this forum and you will find numerous postings/advice. There is a poster by the name of "tweedy" who has a lot of personal experience and information on Harbour Island...and a frequently posted e-mail address for personal communication. Good luck..from what I've read Harbour Island seems like a great destination.....
Jan 28th, 2000, 07:49 PM
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Ron, you have found my favorite place on the PLANET. Harbour Island is one of the most charming places in the Carribean. Actually we have Chris Columbus and his boys to thank, since on the way to discovering the "new world" they stopped on Harbour Island and a few of his guys jumped ship and stayed. It is the first permenent settlement in the new world. <BR> <BR>It looks like a 1700's fishing village, which it was and a major producer of rum during our prohibition era, now it is mostly a tourist destination and has one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. <BR> <BR>There are several nice places to stay depending on your budget. WE LOVE Runaway Hill Club, there are only 10 rooms there so if you are interested you may need to be flexible on your dates. <BR> <BR>YOu might also check into Romora Bay, Coral Sands, Pink Sands, Ocean Beach, Dunsmore Beach Club, The Landing, and Valentine's. Each has different things to offer. <BR> <BR>There are several good restaurants on the island the best food is at Runaway and Romora Bay. IF you need any more info on the island please let me know. <BR> <BR>tweedy
Jan 30th, 2000, 10:07 AM
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We visited Harbour Island many years ago (1988) and trust things haven't changed too much. We stayed in a little shack (don't remember the name- found it by wandering up a footpath) up on the hill overlooking the ocean - and a short sand & timber stepped walk down to the beach - the 3 mile long pink sand beach. No one was there! I take that back - there was a couple walking the beach and we had to stop and talk. We had the beach to ourselves (this was mid February) and it was peaceful. The 'beach' side where we stayed was a more 'privately owned' area away from the resorts. The harbour side offers shopping and restaurants, and the town is charming. I remember one lovely place to stay harbourside with a view. It's an upstairs apartment with lots of character and french doors/windows above a little gift shop/deli in the middle of town owned by a Canadian woman named Pippy, I believe. We took a turbo prop from Nassau to Eleuthera, then water taxi to HI. If you ever tire of the georgeous beach, rent a car (probably more readily available now days) take a drive down Eleuthera to the Glass Window, where the island narrows to the width of the road. The views are spectacular! There is also great surfing just beyond. Just look for the SUV's at a dirt road turn off on the Atlantic side of the road. It's a long walk down - and I mean down - to the beach, but worth it. Body surfing is also great! We got chewed up and spit out! We also chartered a good sized deep sea fishing boat for a day. If you haven't done that - please, try it. We brought our catch back and our hotel chef prepared it to our liking. If you're nervous about 'winging it', try the Runaway Hill Club or Valentines Yacht Club (diving available there). We hold many memories of Harbour Island. You will too!
Jan 30th, 2000, 05:39 PM
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M & D, I could not have said it better myself, lol, so why haven't you been back since 1988? I have been going to HI since 1986 and try to get back a couple of times a year. I miss it that much. <BR> <BR>Laurie, there is now a ferry that goes from Nassau at the bridge on Paradise Island, twice a day and it is about a 2 hour trip and the cost is $90rt. <BR> <BR>Runaway Hill is our favorite, because of the staff and the ambiance, it is only 10 rooms and in a house that was built in the early 1900's. <BR> <BR>Pink Sands is more expensive, and is bungalows on the beach. I think there are 36 rooms there, a nice pool, restaurant, beach bar, tennis and LOVELY grounds. <BR> <BR>If you go to the www.where2stay.com board and "kalik" on islands at the top of the screen and scroll down to The Bahamas and then to Harbour Island, you will see several of the resorts, rates and a bit of info on the island. <BR> <BR>Also you might try the Harbour Island website, which is new, at www.briland.com (if you say Harbour Island 3 times very fast you get "briland" and that is what the natives are called. "Brilanders". <BR> <BR>Hope this helps, and if you need any more info please let me know. <BR> <BR>tweedy
Jun 24th, 2000, 05:54 AM
#7
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I can't agree more with Tweedy's comments. After staying at Pink Sands last year, we felt there was no need to go anywhere else, since this was heaven, if you want superior beaches, food and bone fishing and a friendly environment. However we were disappointed by the photos on the web after last year's hurricane and Pink Sands' beach erosion, so didn't go back this year. Can anyone tell me about the state of the beach at Pink Sands now?
Jun 29th, 2000, 01:14 PM
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Well don't worry about the beach on Harbour Island. The damage done by last years storms has all been repaired. The ocean has a wonderful way of taking sand from the beach and then putting it back. <BR> <BR>Several of the hotels/homes on the beach had "beach repair" work done so that most of the island was back in good shape for the "season". <BR> <BR>There is a reef off the beach that is worth a swim out, and it's shallow for quite a distance. <BR> <BR>Also you can take an off island adventure, just go down to the dock and ask one of the water taxis to take you out to an island and then arrange to be picked up in the afternoon, so you can be back for dinner. <BR> <BR>You can pack a lunch yourselves or ask your hotel to pack a picnic lunch for you, head to the deli for some libation or even diet cokes and you are set for the day, oh and bring an umbrella and LOTS of sun screen. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip and give us a report when you get back. <BR> <BR>tweedy
Jun 29th, 2000, 03:21 PM
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For Susan re Snorkeling: <BR>It has been some years since we were at Harbor Island and I don't know the level of coral damage due to the last hurricane. However, we found that snorkeling conditions were fairly uneven along the very long beach that goes all along one side of the island. As I remember there seemed to be less coral up near the Pink Sands however that is not a problem. First you walk along the beach and look for dark patches in the water which are small coral islands Then swim out through a modest surf for about 100 years to 1/4 of a mile where there seems to be the largest concentation of them. We went out twice with on a snorkel- dive boat. One trip took us to an area that we had visited from shore the prior day. The next took us to a site called "Train Wreck" which had a bunch of old train wheels on the bottom sand and it was not very inspiring for anybody. The divers amused themselves by going around and turning off each others air. The fish life was spotty. My wife found a fully size nurse shark on the bottom and I found the largest spiny lobster I have ever seen. It was museum quality. Other than that I don't remember any large schools of fish. It still was pleasant swimming, execise and fun. We liked Harbor Island other than I did not particularly enjoy the location on the other side of the Island only a 5 minute walk away from the spectacular pink sand beach.
